Independent L.A.

It is a well-known fact by now that shopping at chain stores is an entirely different experience than shopping at independent stores. The main difference? Indie stores have character. And how much and what kind usually depends on the store’s neighborhood. For example, an indie bookstore in Los Feliz can feel entirely different than an indie bookstore in Malibu, unlike a Barnes & Noble, which pretty much looks and feels the same wherever you go.

This isn’t to say that I don’t like chain stores. I do. In fact, I love Ann Taylor LOFT (but we won’t talk about how many paychecks I’ve spent there) and the aforementioned B&N. But indie stores are about creating a community, whatever kind of community that is, be it people who like books, food, art, design, etc. As part of the generation that prefers to customize everything to our own tastes, I like it when stores display individuality. It makes the entire experience more personal.

That’s why I’ll be introducing a biweekly feature called “Independent L.A.,” which will showcase great independent stores in L.A., one at a time. My very general criteria? That the store has as few locations as possible and be based in California. I may deviate a time or two, though, to highlight a great store that straddles the line between being an indie store and a full-blown chain. I’d rather be more general than less, since the indie spirit can show up in many places, sometimes unexpectedly. If there’s a great indie store around where you live, leave a comment and let me know why you think it’s so great.